Railway car wheel flange oiler



0=t` 21, 1952 H. P. FISHER RAILWAY, CAR WHEEL FLANGE OILER m. gf m w/ M f m f f f W.

INVENToR. j? e/f Oct. 21, 1952 H. F.A FISHER Y 2,614,661

RAILWAY CAR WHEEL FLANGE oILER Filed Oct. 3l, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 /2 Armen/fm `Patented Oer. 21, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f Henry P. Fisher, Chicago, Ill.

y Application October 31, 1947, Serial No. 783,385

4 Claims. (Cl. 184-3) for the flanges of Wheels of railway locomotives,

and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a wheel flange oiler for the constant supply and application of a suitable lubricant to `the wheel anges of locomotives, and the like, thus minimizing wear of anges due to friction with the opposing surface of the rail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. ange oiler in the form of a roller which engages the wheel flange, and is self-adjusting radially and axially, with respect to the wheel.

A further object is to provide a wheel flange oiler which will use a minimum quantity of oil, --while keeping the flange constantly lubricated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wheel flange oiler adaptable to various sizes of wheels, the oiler being simple and durable in design, and well adapted to economical manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel flange f oiler embodying the invention and showing the same applied to the truck frame of a locomotive and engaging the flange of a wheel;

Figure 2 is an enlarged central vertical section through the ange oiler, partly in elevation,with the reservoir removed;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the oiler with the cover plate removed, partly in vertical section;

Figure 4 is a central vertical section through the lubricating roller, with the roller removed from its supporting structure;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the cover plate removed;

Figure 6 is a view, partly in section and partly broken away, of the lubricant reservoir.

In the drawings, where, for 'the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral It! designates a railway locomotive wheel forming part of a truck, including a truck frame II. The wheel I includes the usual annular rail-guided flange I2,

which has frictional engagement with the side y 2 I4 which is rectangular and bent near its upper end to form a flat lateral extension vI5 disposed horizontally in assembly, and a'downwardly-inclined portion I6, Figure 1. The extension I5 has corner` openings I'I, receiving bolts I8, or the like, serving to rigidly secure the flange oiler tothe truck frame II. The portion I6 of bracket I4v is provided with aligned, parallel, elongated openings or slotsA I9 near its upper and lower corners, and these slots receive bolts 20 which extend through transverse openings 2| in an adjacent grooved plate or slide 22. f

The slide 22 is adj ustably secured to the bracket I4 by bolts 2B, and comprises a flat rectangular plate having a central longitudinal groove 23 formed in its outer surface. The opposite sides 24 and 25 of the groove 23 diverge outwardly from corners 26 near the longitudinal ycenter of the slide 22 and toward the upper and lower ends of slide 22. Upstanding side longitudinal portions or shoulders 2l are formed by the groove 23. Anupstanding cylindrical dowel' pin 28 is rigidly secured to the bottom of groove 23, and the top of the dowel pin is flush with the-top or outer surfaces of shoulders 2l. 'The dowel pin 2B is disposed at the transverse center of groove 23 and adjacent the corners 26,-Figure 3.

Disposed within the groove 23 and slidable therein is an adjustable support armor bar 291. The bar 29 is rectangular in transverse crosssecticn, and is provided with a center longitudil nal slot 3l), extending from near the upper end of bar 29 downwardly below the longitudinal center of the bar. The upstanding dowel pin 28 projects through the slot 30 and is slidable therein. The bar 29 extends for the full length of the slot 23, as shown, and below the lowerends of the slide 22 and bracket' la. The bar 29 has an enlarged head 3I at its lowermost end vformed integral therewith and projecting laterally of the `bar 29 at its side remote from the bracket I4.

.an annular shoulder 36 to engage one flat face 32, f

and further includes an outer reduced screw- 'threaded extension 31, carrying anut 38, secured in place by a cotter pin 39. y The extension 35 has a nut 40 mounted thereon, and this nut serves to clamp the shoulder 36 to the head 3 I. .A cotter pin 4I secures the nut 40 in place. 'I'he shaft 34 jhas a central axial bore or port 42 formed in the "engage the curved 'end of slot 30. `-n'ally-space'd openings A51 #and 58 bare provided "neartheupper fend o'f 'bar 29 for a purpose to 'b'e described. Aflat rectangular cover .plate 56 "is mountedupon the shoulders `21 `of slide'22, and

ments.

`mounted :as shown in 'Figure rl.

end of extension 35 and terminating outwardly of the longitudinal center of the shaft. A short radial port 43 intersects the port 42 near the inner closed end of the same.

A lubricating roller 44 is freely rotatably mounted upon the shaft 34 between the shoulder 36 and nut 38. The width of roller 44 is less than the distance between the shoulder 36 and nut 38,-and the roller may moveaxially therebetween. The roller has a large curved annular groove 45 to engage the outer curved edge of the wheel flange I2. This groove 45 forms side annular flanges 46 and 41, the flange 41 being o'f smaller diameter than the flange 46. 'Theflanges 46 and 41 extend down the sides of `the, wheel flange I2, as shown clearly in Figure `3.Y The'inside diameter of the roller `4'4is provided with an annular groove or recess 48, which communicates with the radial port 43. The roller 'has four radial ports 49 equidistantly spaced angularly and leading into the annular groove 446. :The ports '49 are in V'radial 'alignment and `are nearer Atothe flange 41 than the flange=46, soas to be to the Jrigfhtofthe lateral center of the wheel flange I12,-'-.'"igur`e 3. Each of lthe radial ports 49 is lcountersunk at vits outer end, as at 50, and van Aexterr'ial annular oil groove 5I intersects keach 'of lthefcount'ersunkrecesses v50 and is, therefore,

in icommunication lwith the ports .49.

-An expansible coil spring l52 is arranged in the slot 30 of bar 29 :and its opposite ends engage against end pieces or keepers 53 Vand 54. `The keeper 353 has a cylindric'ally-curved recess or Seat l551:0 engage Vthe'side of dowel pin 28. The end 56 o'f the keeper 54 is cylindrically rcurvedA to .Longitudiserves *to cover the vbar 29 and associated lele- The bolts 20 project 'through vcorner -op'enings"in lthe cover plate and Vcarry nuts 51. SA pair of -screws V58 serve to .rigidly secure the cover plate to the rslide'22. .Alubricating fitting 59 fis'moun'ted 'centrally upon the cover plate 56 and throu'gh this fitting 'the parts moving in groove 23 are lubricated.

AThe outer end of extension 35 is internally "screw-threaded for 'a Ashort .distance inwardly, and this screw-threaded opening receives a lnipple 59.carrying an elbow 60 having its outer end disposed upwardly. A sectionfcf :flexible tubing 6I `'of v'any suitable material is connected to the elbow 566 and extends upwardly to a point *above fthezrolle'rf44, and through'the bottom of a lubrilcant tankor .oil reservoir .62.

A stop-cock 63 'lis provided 'in the tubing 6I near the bottom of'tankf62. The tubing-'6| has 'a liquid-tight con- :nectlon .with the lbottom of tank 62, as at 64.

zinturn Lrigidly secured to the truck frame II by bolts i1l,.or the like.

In iuse, the flange oiler and oil Atank are By virtue of l'theslots fI9 in the"mounting-bracket I4, the slide v"522 carrying the other elements 'of Lthe jange oiler may be adjusted to properly engage different sizes of locomotive wheels. This adjustment can be made without removing the cover plate 56'. The spring 52 maintains the lubricating roller 44 in resilient engagement against the wheel flange I2 and allows the roller and bar 29 to move radially with respect to wheel I0, as same passes over track irregularities and the like.

.Lateral or .axial wanderingof the wheel I0 is taken lcare of in two ways. First, the roller 44 has limited axial play upon the shaft 34 as stated. Also, the bar 29 can swing laterally in either direction in the groove 23. This swinging is lim- .te'dbyrthe 'diverging sides 24 and 25. The bar 29 carrying the roller 44 and associated elements "is universally slidably mounted within the groove .23. '.Ihe-.spaced `openings 51 and 58 are provided so that a pin or the like may be inserted Vvthereinwhen the roller 44 is held in a retracted position and out of contact with the wheel flange I 2. :Such fatpin i'spassed through one 'of' theholes 51 or '58 A'and enga'gesithev adjacent fupp'erJedge-fof the slide 22.

With the deviceproperlyimounted .and adjusted "andthe stop-cock '.63 Topen, oil-from the tank v62`passesthrough'the wick 66,.'due to .capillary action and absorption, and drips A'slowly .but constantly into `thetube 16|, Figure 6. The '.tankl62 is at sufllcient elevation l.to reflect fa Ygravity ."fe'e'd The 'oils in tube `6 I passes downwardly through :the same, through elbow 6.0, nipple 59 and through V.the axial port .'42. From :the *port v42, the .-.oil flows through "port 43 pand into :annular rgroove.'48. The ,nil then ienters .the radial `ports `:4.9 .zand finally the :external annular zfgloove 5I. :Centrifugal force `raids the :flow of .oilfthrough the .ports 4.9. vThe .o'ilzin'the outer groovefl ,fis deposited ."directlyupon'zthe wheel :flange ;I 2, and Ytends :to :run :down 'the vinner side ofthe ;same, Figure, when'friction'al contact with the rail occurs. Theflowzzof niLtof coursegcanzbe stopped by closingtheastop-cock .63. :The Yroller :4 4 .can zbe :retracted "from :the wheel flange, as stated. The shaft134 .carrying :roller 44 `can be Imounted upon either-side ,3.2 of ythe head .3I.

4It .is to VbeV understoodthat'the .form :of ithe rinvention herewith shown and described :is'to be taken :as a preferred example .of '.the fsame, *and 4:that various ichangesin fthe cshape, .size Vand arrangementnf 'parts maybe resorted to Without departing from .the spirit .ofthe invention 4or'the .scope :of lthe `subjoinedclaims.

vHavin'g'thus described the invention, 'I lclaim: l. A wheel flange oiler, comprising amounting bracket adapted `to'be "securedto a wheel truck frame, a slide secured tothe m'ountingbracket tand :having a longitudinal groove extending'for the entirelength of the slide, vthe groove having corresponding sides which diverge toward oppositeends of the slide, yan upstan'ding'element secured to the slide and disposed near'the center of the Igroove, fa .bar-"universally s'lidably-mounted within the groove Aand having va longitudinal-slot "slidably receiving the element, a spring 'arranged frame, a slide secured tothe mounting bracket and having a .longitudinal groove extending for the entire length of the slide, the groove having corresponding sides which diverge toward oppov site ends of the slide, van upstanding element secured to the slide and disposed near the center of the groove, a bar universally slidably mounted within the groove and having a longitudinal slot slidably receiving the element, a spring arranged in the slot and engaging one end of the slot and the element and serving to urge the bar outwardly of one end of the slide, the bar including a part extending beyond one end of the slide. and means mounted upon the part for contacting the Wheel flange for applying oil to the same.

, 3. In a device for oiling the wheel ilanges of rail-guided vehicles during the operation thereof, a mounting bracket having a slide with a shaped longitudinal groove said groove dened by corresponding sides diverging outwardly to,- ward opposite ends of the groove, an element upstanding from said vslide and disposed within said groove, a slotted bar universally slidably mounted within the groove on said element positioned within the bar slot, one end of said bar protruding beyond said bracket, a lubricating device rotatably mounted upon the protruding end of said bar and adapted to roll a film of oil upon the wheel ange, and spring means positioned between said element and bar for maintaining said lubricating device in resilient engagement with said wheel flange.

4. In a device for oiling the anges of wheels of rail-guided vehicles during the operation a springgarranged in the slot and engaging one end of the slot and the element and'fserving to urge the,L bar outwardly of one end of the slide, the bar including a part extending beyond one end of the slide and a shaft aixed to" said part.

HENRY P. FISHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,121,055 Tisher Dec. 15, 1914 1,635,603 Black July 12, 1927 1,757,529 Minor May 6, 1930 2,106,665 Skinner Jan. 25, 1938 2,203,112 Swanson June 4, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 193,950 Great Britain Feb. 28. 1923 

